𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 , outer banks

𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲

        ESMERALDA WAS CONFUSED. JJ had followed her from the boneyard. "Hey, you good?" JJ licked his lips, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at her.

Esme pulled herself up, JJ had his arms out to make sure she wouldn't fall. "Um," she nervously wiped her hands on her clothes to get rid of the sand. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." she took a step backward to create a distance.

"I don't know what that was," Esme spoke quietly, letting her gaze wander off far from JJ's blue eyes.

JJ snickered, "I think you just had a panic attack. Did something happen?"

She looked at him through her eyelashes, they locked eyes for a moment before they looked away. Esmeralda recalled what she had heard a few minutes prior."Not in the mood JJ." She spits out. But it was no use because JJ had already sat down.

JJ pressed his lips together, "Right," he put his cap on backward and took a long sip of his beer.

She rolled her eyes and sat close to him, but not too close. "This doesn't change anything by the way." Esmeralda folded her arms together while JJ just laughed.

A few minutes went by before she realized she had enough. She wouldn't cry over anyone. If anything, she had the advantage in the situation and she was going to destroy both of them. A smirk grew wide on her face, "The hell are you smirking for?" JJ looked at her like she had gone crazy. Esme looked at him before she started to laugh uncontrollably.

JJ raised his eyebrows in her concern as she started to now wipe the tears from her eyes. "You know, this island is fucking insane." She pauses, "God, no wonder my mother decided to just up and leave."

JJ shifted uncomfortably beside her. "What are you talking about?"

Esmeralda turned her head to face him, and the wind picked up at the same time, making her hair blow and show her face. "How crazy does one have to be to cheat on a girl with her best friend and then think she wouldn't find out?" She giggled once she saw how wide his eyes grew.

"Are we talking about in general... or are we talking about you..?" JJ brought the bottle up to his lips and observed her.

Esmeralda shrugged her shoulders. "Would it be even crazier if the said girl did nothing about it but plan her revenge?"

He whistled, "You mean to tell me, Mr. Kook King cheated on Kildare's most precious treasure?" She nodded, "Let me guess, Khloe Lakes?" Another nod. "Phew, now that's some deep shit."

"Preach it, baby." She stood up, "Anyways, see you around. I'm going to pretend like nothing ever happened. All good things come to those who wait, right?" Esme walked off and left behind a very confused JJ. She walked back toward the crowd and instantly a familiar face was speed-walking toward her.

She inhaled deeply to control herself. "Just breathe," she repeated to herself under her breath as the person got closer.

"Hey! Where were you? I was looking all over for you." Rafe walked up toward Esmeralda with his shirt slightly unbuttoned. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before opening them again.

"I was feeling too overwhelmed with the crowd, so I took a walk." Looking past her boyfriend's figure she saw Khkoe laughing with Topper and Sarah but her eyes weren't on them, instead on Rafe and Esmeralda.

"Oh, and it so happened that a fucking Pouge was there with you?" Rafe scoffs and shoves her to the side, marching up to the blond. Esmeralda regains her composure quickly and takes after her boyfriend.

"Hey, man! What the hell were you doing with my girl?" The two men are face to face now, Rafe with a scowl, and JJ with an uninterested look.

Esme butts in, "Leave him alone!" Rafe whips his head around, heavy breathing.

"Did he touch you!" He yells and examines her.

Esmeralda scoffs, "No, Rafe, He didn't touch me. We were just at the same place, at the same time. Not everyone is bad!" She yells back at him with anger pent up within her.

Rafe scoffs and turns back to JJ. "Touch her, ever, and you're dead." JJ puts his hands up like he is getting detained, and laughs in Rafe's face. "Sure buddy." And mockingly salutes him and watches Rafe turn around. Esmeralda still stood in the same spot, not knowing if she should chase her boyfriend or let him be.

Before she could even move, JJ interrupts her thoughts. "Hey Es, I hope you do the right thing in the end."

The brunette gives him a warm smile, "Thanks, Maybank."

Esmeralda caught up to Rafe in no time, he was standing by some guys, waiting on her. Esme decides to break the silence. "So where were you?" Her hand interlinked with his own and they walked side by side through the intoxicated teenagers.

For a moment it seemed like he had been taken aback by her question but if he was, he was quick to cover his act. "Man, Top, Kelce and I had some catching up to do."

Esme looked at her boyfriend, "Really? That's kind of weird because I remember Top coming up to me but I recall him saying he was Sarah and Kelce. Huh? Isn't that so weird?" She put her hand on his chest, patting it harshly, and let go of his hand.

Esmeralda walked off innocently as Rafe stopped walking altogether trying to decipher her words.

She walked ahead of him and he caught up with her. "Hey wait, what do you mean?"

She sighed, "Nothing, okay? Let's just go. I feel disgusted and I don't want to be here anymore." Be here with you. She wanted to say.

Rafe was skeptical about it. "Alright?" They got back to Rafe's car, and the whole way there she was silent. She figured it was better to keep this a secret, she could use it against him at any time.

She had the upper hand now.

tearsofnai !

first full interaction, how are we feeling